Stride
by Daniel Monteray
Summary: (Sequel to Swing) "I like to think that I'd be born in a parallel universe where I was a prince, or maybe a king and you could be my queen." Erza nearly hit him as the words left his mouth. But it wasn't appropriate to slap someone in public, especially if said smug bastard was your boss.


Find a good dance song to listen to while you read this, guys.

* * *

**Stride**

Jellal had finally reconciled with his father and returned to Edolas, having built up Fairy Tail to become one of the country's most successful businesses. It had been a long overdue reunion and it showed as Faust threw one of the most extravagant parties in honor of his return.

She could see Jellal nodding politely as yet another stranger came up to him, offering his heartfelt congratulations. It was no secret that Jellal hated such social events but lately, he had been more tolerant of them for reasons he had yet to tell anyone. But she had an inkling as to the answer.

She watched as he rubbed his temples with a tired sigh after the man had left. Looking up, he caught sight of her and his eyes lit up so brilliantly that she couldn't help but smile.

He was, once again, at the bar, one hand in his trouser pocket while he leaned against the bar table with an air of nonchalance. His eyes swept across the room before fixating upon her once more. Erza shuddered under the weight of his gaze but she composed herself and sauntered over to him, tossing her hair behind her shoulders.

The predatory gleam in his eyes was not lost on her as they roamed her body. She was dressed in a blood red dress, the neckline dipping down low almost to the point of indecency to accent her ample bosom. She had opted for a simple silver chain around her waist whereas a glistening diamond necklace adorned her neck. She knew that she was stunning and judging by his reaction, he agreed with her assessment wholeheartedly.

She stopped in front of him, surveying him with the same interest he had displayed earlier.

Jellal had foregone a jacket this time and was clad in a black shirt, rolled up at the sleeves; black pants, a black Fedora and white sneakers. The silver tie was in sharp contrast to his shirt and her eyes were drawn towards it instantaneously as thoughts of wanting to pull him close to her by his tie ran rampant in her head.

He had grown more handsome since their last encounter, if that were even possible.

"Why is it we keep meeting at these parties?"

And by 'these parties', she meant parties set in a historic period not of their current time. The last time they had met, they had been in a 1950s jazz club. This time, they were in some sort of 1930s casino establishment (ironically, the music blasting out from the speakers dotted around the room were the year's latest hits), with crystal chandeliers above grand marble staircases, a large dance floor packed with masses of drunken people and multiple casino tables.

Lily was at the poker table and Hughes was having a go at Black Jack. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sugarboy flirting with Councilman Gryder, who was looking increasingly uncomfortable at the man's advances. A flicker of a smile flashed across her face and she bit back a small chuckle.

"Maybe we were just born in the wrong era." He shot her a teasing smirk.

"And which era do you have in mind?"

"Oh, I don't know." An expression of mock thoughtfulness blossomed on his face, "I like to think that I'd be born in a parallel universe where I was a prince, or maybe a king and you could be my queen."

Erza nearly hit him as the words left his mouth. But it wasn't appropriate to slap someone in public, especially if said smug bastard was your boss.

"Wouldn't you like that," she ground out between gritted teeth, cheeks flaming a brilliant red.

"I would, actually," Jellal replied pleasantly, an innocent smile on his face. "Very much indeed. Would you care to dance?"

And with those 5 simple words, he had once again broken through her walls.

Well, two could play this game.

"Maybe," she murmured in a low voice and sashayed past him, fully aware of his burning gaze.

His eyes widened and he opened his mouth but soundless words were all that came out. She had wandered off quite far away at this point, having noticed the start of a new song, and he watched as she danced. He fought to keep a neutral expression on his face but his eyes softened and his heart sped up at the sight of her running her hands through her hair, raising her arms above her head, hips swaying enticingly.

He grinned.

She knew, damn her, oh she knew of the hold she had over him and she was purposely doing this to him, moving away just out of his reach, slipping through his fingers every time he approached her. It was a cruel move, even more so if she didn't reciprocate his feelings. Uncertainty gnawed away at him at this striking thought but he dispelled the notion in an instant.

Jellal was a man of action and he wasn't going to watch another man steal her away from him.

No, she would be his by the end of the night.

The redhead glanced back at him, a coy smile on her luscious lips and he wanted nothing more than to capture them in the tenderest kiss. Jellal inhaled deeply and strode after her with a frustrated growl. He stopped a little distance away from her, never breaking eye contact, and he started moving to the music as well.

Oh this was going to be fun indeed.

There was nothing but percussion beats and they echoed in his ears, pounding in synch with his heartbeat. He responded in kind with a series of sudden, halting steps, his fist pounding in a thumping motion. His hazel eyes, sparkling with lust and barely concealed desire, closed briefly. He wasn't thinking about what he was doing anymore, his body having shifted into autopilot. Snapping his fingers in time to the beat, a push here, a tug there, he lost himself in the music.

Each move was in time with the heavy drumbeat, so very much like the rhythmic beating in his chest; and the way in which his heart beat every heartbeat for her was mirrored in his each and every move - a bend of his knee, a kick of the legs, his torso swinging jerkingly from side to side.

_Steady._

The soft lull of the guitar crept in to accompany the thumping beat and his movements changed completely in the blink of an eye. Twisting around with a feral smirk on his face, he prowled after her with a feline grace, like a predator stalking his prey, shoulders back, muscles taut under his shirt.

The music washed over him in gentle waves, tender yet sensual. His dance was less erratic than before, having taken on a softer quality to it, and his movements were fluid as he allowed the music to flow through his body, translating into a succession of quick steps and a smooth thrust of the hips.

He caught her shooting him a smug grin and his heart ached with longing as she continued playing her intricate musical piece, with his heartstrings serving as the only instrument.

_Passionate._

The bass line rumbled in the background, solid but unimposing, and Jellal floated over to her side, both thumbs hooked into the waistband of his pants, shoulders popping up and down. Erza twisted around to face him, hands sliding down his chest as she leaned in, slowly easing down with a bend of the knees.

The breath hitched in his throat as she moved against his groin and he could see the flames burning in her eyes.

Beautiful.

His hands moved to rest on her ass and she jerked him towards her, his tie wrapped around her fist tightly. Her fingers ghosted down his chest and her other hand fisted in his shirt, pulling him so close that their noses were brushing against one another, his hot breath caressing her face lovingly.

His tongue darted out to wet his lips and he glanced down at her lips through half-lidded eyes. She was so close that he could almost taste her lips and the sudden urge to do so coursed through his veins like molten gold.

Her grip on his shirt tightened when she sensed the man's restlessness. His ragged breathing was like music to her ears; he wanted her, he needed her and the sway she held over him was intoxicating like the finest whiskey.

Erza chuckled and suddenly pulled down his Fedora so that it covered his eyes completely before shoving him away roughly. Jellal stumbled backwards but recovered by spinning around on the spot, fingers flicking his hat back up, before sliding back over towards her with a few well-placed steps and a snap of his fingers.

_Constant._

A tilt of his head accompanied by the roll of his shoulders, elbows locking by his sides before finishing by sweeping back his hair in one seamless movement; the two of them circled, the sexual tension weighing heavily in the air.

This was a game of cat and mouse, of dominance and control; a game he was well versed in but one that she was unwilling to lose.

Erza stepped backwards. She needed space to breathe, space that he was reluctant to give her as he glided over to stand behind her. The redhead slipped away once more, twirling and spinning aside in a series of deft motions. He followed her and she whipped around suddenly, a hand on his chest as she pushed him back, sauntering after him.

Jellal snarled and shuffled past her with a flourish of steps, hands flicking and tugging at his shirt. His hand shot out to grab her by the arm and he yanked her towards him. She spun around, her back hitting his chest and she allowed him to embrace her as her hands guided his down to rest on her waist. Their bodies molded together and they danced, for the very first time that night, as one.

A burning warmth swelled within his stomach, curling and unfurling lazily, and he could feel himself grow hard. His groan whispered in her ear and she found herself grinding against his groin a little faster, a little harder and she smirked at the small whine he gave as she pulled away.

He retaliated by brushing his fingers against her skin lightly and she swallowed a small gasp as shivers racked her body. His love pulsed from his fingertips like the low throbbing of the synth, spreading across her body like wildfire and a light-headedness descended upon her like a curtain of mist. The flashing lights threw multi-colored shadows across her vision, adding to the feeling of disorientation.

_Unwavering._

The crowd roared in approval as the lights all went out suddenly, with only the sudden white flash illuminating the room as the beat dropped. Despite the darkness and occasional glimpse of his strong silhouette against the blinding diamond white backdrop, he remained close to her, hands trailing across her waist, down her spine, maintaining the connection between them.

"Erza…" he breathed out.

_This is my love for you._

It was then the penny dropped.

He really did love her.

And this scared her more than anything. No one had ever managed to slip past her defenses before, let alone shattered those walls so easily. No one except for _him_, the biggest mistake of her life. She had been so overwhelmed by Jellal's passion earlier that she had forgotten about _him_, but now the familiar feeling of vulnerability and helplessness came crashing back down like a house of cards in the wind.

And with that, the spell was broken.

"I…I have to go," Erza choked out.

She disappeared into the shadows without another word and when the lights went up, she was nowhere in sight, leaving Jellal standing in the middle of the dance floor in shock.

"Erza?"

A flash of crimson red caught his eye and he raced after her as she headed for the doors.

"Erza!"

The sound of his voice, if anything, caused her to speed up and his footsteps faltered. What if she didn't welcome his attention? What if she didn't like him that way? To pursue her would effectively mean he was forcing himself on her and Jellal loathed to be such a man. But if there was a chance, even the slightest one, that she could reciprocate, then he would never forgive himself if he let her go.

And so he ran after her.

He bolted out the doors into the pouring rain and saw her in the distance, waving down a cab.

"Erza, wait!"

Sprinting over to the female, his heart nearly bursting in his chest, he caught up to her before she could open the door.

"Wait! Wait, please," he gasped out.

She refused to look at him.

"What do you want," she snapped harshly.

He spread his arms helplessly.

"What happened? Did I do something wrong?" His voice cracked under the weight of his emotions.

Hesitating, she raised her gaze and the raw pain and hurt swimming in those beautiful brown eyes hit him hard. Did he do this to her?

"I'm sorry," his voice was thick, "I didn't know that you didn't feel that way. I'll stop, you don't have to worry about it."

Anger and disbelief flashed across her face. Did he really think that she didn't love him? Yes, she felt scared. Yes, she felt vulnerable, and yes, she hated feeling this way. But love? God, she loved him more than anything and that was why she needed to leave now. She couldn't allow him to see her when she was so vulnerable, so affected.

But her anger soon gave way to something akin to guilt. She had been offended at first when he had said those things, but if the crushed look on his face was any indication, Jellal was hurting a lot more. And all because she was too weak to accept her own feelings for him.

They stood there, staring at each other wordlessly for what seemed like an eternity before he finally raised his hands in surrender.

"I apologize. I hope we can still be friends."

The fury rebounded back tenfold and Erza punched him on the shoulder, hard.

"Ow, hey!" Jellal rubbed his shoulder gingerly. "I didn't think that warranted such violence."

Her cheeks were painted a bright red by now and she grabbed him by the collar.

"Shut up, just…shut up."

And then she kissed him.

He stiffened, mind working furiously but soon he relaxed into her kiss and kissed her back.

They broke apart for air and she shoved him away.

"Goodnight, Jellal."

Erza turned and got into the cab, leaving him standing in the pouring rain with a stupid smile on his face.

It was only when the red taillight had disappeared around the corner that he whispered a fond goodnight to the stars.

"Goodnight, Erza."

* * *

**Alternate ending:**

He bolted out the doors into the pouring rain and saw her in the distance, waving down a cab.

"Erza, wait!"

His legs worked furiously, heart nearly bursting in his chest, but despite his valiant efforts, she had already slammed the door shut and he was left in the rain as the car pulled away.

He slowed to a halt, chest heaving. He was already completely drenched from head to toe, his hair plastered to his forehead and turning a navy blue. He doubled over, eyes screwed up as if he were in pain, with his hands on his knees and he gasped for air; be it because he had run too fast or because he was crying, he didn't know.

The red taillight disappeared around the corner.

And just like that, she was gone.

The heavy downpour faded into a numbing white noise in the background and there was a strange roaring in his ears. It was like he was caught in a whirlwind of confusion and despair and frankly speaking, he had no idea how he had ended up this way.

"Erza!"

His scream reverberated through the empty streets.

Jellal stood there, frozen to the spot, still unable to comprehend the drastic turn of events.

How could everything have started so well and then suddenly fallen apart without any warning?

"God, what happened?" He murmured to himself.

The only answer he got was silence as the heavens wept bitter tears for him.

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**A / N: **Wow, this is honestly the hardest story I've ever written. It isn't as good as Swing, Swing pretty much took everything out of me, I'm kinda burned out (and dance has got to be one of the most difficult things to write about, had to do a lot of research on JT) but I like how Mystwalker's relationship has progressed here. Swing / Stride, aside from being the movements, are actually different forms of jazz (not that this story has anything to with jazz here). I had Rock Your Body in mind for Swing but for Stride, I was thinking True Blood.

I don't know if it was obvious enough but I was trying to link music with love, so each instrumental part has a particular quality that is mirrored in Jellal's love for Erza. And to be honest, I preferred the alternate ending myself. I wrote that ending first but I figured people would probably prefer a happy ending.


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